Method for lining curves



Dec. 20, 1 966 V A. WARNICK 3,292,557

METHOD FOR LINING CURVES Filed April 5, 1965 INVENTOR.

von-F mama United States Patent O 3,292,557 METHOD FOR LINING CURVES Adolf Warnick, Nuremberg, Germany, assignor to Franz Plasser Bahnbaumaschinen, Vienna, Austria Filed Apr. 5, 1965, Ser. No. 445,667 Claims priority, application Germany, April 8, 1964, W 36,529; Austria, Feb. 10, 1965, A 1,165/ 65 4 Claims. (Cl. 104-8) The present invention relates to the lining of railroad track curves to produce a track curve section constituting a substantially circular arc extending between two end points. In such curve lining, a first portion of the track curve section extends between a first one of the end points and a first intermediate point, this forming a first and lined portion of the circular arc. Successive intermediate points in a second portion of the track curve section extending between the first intermediate point and a second one of the end points are lined successively in relation to the lined track curve section portion.

It is the primary object of this invention to simplify curve lining so that no calculations are required.

These and other objects and advantages are accomplished in accordance with the invention by establishing two intersecting straight lines through the second intermediate point, where the two lines form an angle, one of the lines extending to the second end point and the other line extending to a point in the first track curve section portion, and moving the second track curve section portion at the second intermediate point perpendicularly to the direction of elongation of the track until the angle has a predetermined value.

According to one specific embodiment of the present invention, a first straight line is established between the second intermediate point and the second end point, a second straight line is established through the second intermediate point, and a third straight line is established from the first end point through the first intermediate point. The first and second straight lines intersect in the second intermediate point and form an angle therebetweeu, and the second and third straight lines intersect in a point intermediate and substantially equidistant from the first and second intermediate point. The second track curve section portion is then moved at the second intermediate point perpendicularly to the direction of elongation of the track until the angle between the first and second straight lines is zero.

In accordance with another specific embodiment, two straight lines are established from the first and second end points, respectively, to a point of intersection intermediate and substantially equidistant from the end points, one of the straight lines passing through the first intermediate point. The first and second intermediate points are substantially equidistant from the point of intersection. The second track curve section portion is then moved perpendicularly to the direction of elongation of the track until the second intermediate point lies on the second straight line.

The above and other objects, advantages and features of the present invention will become more apparent in the following detailed description of certain preferred embodiments thereof, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing wherein FIG. 1 schematically illustrates one embodiment of the curve lining method; 7 f l FIG. 2 schematically shows an arrangement for carrying out one specific embodiment of this method; and

FIG. 3 similarly shows another arrangement for carrying out another specific embodiment of the method.

Referring now to the drawing, wherein like reference numerals designate like parts in all figures, FIG. 1 illus- "ice trates the basic principles whereon the method of this invention rests. As is known, the apex angles of all triangles whose apices lie on'a circular arc and whose base is the chord of such are are equal. Therefore, in the circular are extending between first end point 1 and second end point 4, the respective angles B and 7 formed at the second intermediate point 3 between a first straight line 3--4 and a second straight line 31, and at the first intermediate point 2 between a third straight line 2-1 and a fourth straight line 2--4 are equal.

Thus, the first portion of the track curve section G between end point 1 and first intermediate point 2 has previously been lined and forms a circular arc. If the second intermediate point 3 in the second track curve section portion is to be lined, the latter point need only be moved perpendicularly to the direction of elongation of the track until an angle formed by its intersecting straight lines has the same value as the corresponding angle at point 2.

No calculations will be required and simple angle measure indicating devices 10 at points 2 and 3 will readily establish the necessary amount of lateral track movement to obtain perfect curve lining. Since, according to known geometric theorems, the angles 5 are half the value of center angle on formed by the radii extending from the center 5 of the circle to the end points 1 and 4 of the circular arc, and this angle at is a known parameter for any given radius and arc length, lining will be readily achieved by making certain that the angle #3 (oz/2) is the same at all points of the curve.

Another procedure has been illustrated in FIG. 2. In this arrangement, simple trucks are mounted on the track rails at points 1, 2, 3 and 4 of the track curve section G. A first straight line embodied by a rod 9 is established between the midpoints 3 and 4 of two of the trucks. A second straight line embodied by a rod 8 is established through the second intermediate point 3, the first and straight lines intersecting in point 3 and forming the indi-cated angle therebetween. A third straight line embodied by rod 7 is established from the first end point at the center of a first truck through the first intermediate point 2 at the center of a second truck. As shown, the rods 7 and 8 intersect at a pivot point 6 intermediate and substantially equidistant from the first and second intermediate points 2 and 3. Lining is effected simply by moving the second track curve section portion at point 3 until the angle between rods 8 and 9 is zero. This may be done simply if the truck at this point has means mounted thereon for laterally moving the track, such mobile track liners being well known and requiring no description herein.

In the further modification of FIG. 3, the straight line 7 is an imaginary line embodied by the rigid rod structure 7 interconnecting the two front trucks at points 1 and 2. This imaginary straight line intersects the straight line embodied by rod 9' at point of intersection 6' intermediate and substantially equidistant from end points 1 and 4. Lining is effected by moving the second track curve section portion until point 3 lies on the straight line 9'. Intermediate points 2 and 3 are substantially equidistant from point of intersection 6'.

While the present invention has been specifically described and illustrated in connection with certain preferred embodiments, it will be clearly understood that many modifications and variations may occur to those skilled in this art without departing from the spirit and scope of this invention as defined in the appended claims. More particularly, it will be obvious that mobile automated track lining equipment may be used wherein track sections are laterally moved while the equipment moves continuously forwardly on the track, the track moving parameters derived according to this invention being automatically transmitted to the equipment and such parameters being used to control the lateral movement.

I claim:

1. A method of lining a track curve to produce a track curve section constituting a substantially circular are extending between two end points, a first portion of the track curve section'extending between a first one of said end points and a first intermediate point of the track curve section having been lined to form a first portion of said circular arc, and a second portion of the track curve section extending between said first intermediate point and the second end point, the steps of establishing a first straight line between a second intermediate point in the second track curve section portion and the second end point, establishing a second straight line between the second intermediate point and a point in the first track curve section point, the two straight lines intersecting in the second intermediate point and forming an angle therebetween, and moving the second track curve section portion at the second intermediate point perpendicularly to the direction of elongation of the track until said angle has a predetermined value.

2. A method of lining a track curve to produce a track curve section constituting a substantially circular are extending between two end points, a first portion of the track curve section extending between a first one of said end points and a first intermediate point of the track curve section having been lined to form a first portion of said circular are, and a second portion of the track curve section extending between said first intermediate point and the second end point, the steps of establishing a first straight line between a second intermediate point in the second track curve section portion and the second end point, establishing a second straight line between the second intermediate point and the first end point, the first and second straight lines intersecting in the second intermediate point and forming an angle therebetween, establishing a third straight line between the first intermediate point and the first end point, establishing a fourth straight line between the first intermediate point and the second end point, the third and fourth straight lines intersecting in the first intermediate point and forming an angle therebetween, and moving the second track curve section portion at the second intermediate point perpendicularly to the direction of elongation of the track until the angle between the first and second straight lines has the same value as the corresponding angle between the third and fourth straight lines.

3. A method of lining a track curve to produce a track curve section constituting a substantially circular arc extending'between two end points, a first portion of the track curve section extending between a first one of said end points and a first intermediate point of the track curve section having been lined to form a first portion of said circular arc, and a second portion of the track curve section extending between said first intermediate point and the second end point, the steps of establishing a first straight line between a second intermediate point in the second track curve section portion and the second end'point, establishing a second straight line through the second intermediate point, the first and the second straight lines intersecting in the second intermediate point and forming an angle therebetween, establishing a third straight line from the first end point through the first intermediate point, the second and third straight lines intersecting in a point intermediate and substantially equidistant from the first and second intermediate points, and moving the second track curve section portion at the second intermediate point perpendicularly to the direction of elongation of the track until the angle between the first and second straight lines is zero.

4. A method of lining a track curve to produce a track curve section constituting a substantially circular are extending between two end points, a first portion of the track curve section extending between a first one of said end points and a first intermediate point of the track curve section having been lined to form a first portion of said circular arc, and a second portion of the track curve section extending between said first intermediate point and the second end point, the steps of establishing two straight lines from the first and the second end point, respectively,

to a point of intersection intermediate and substantially equidistant from said end points, one of said straight lines passing through the first intermediate point, and moving the second track curve section portion at a second intermediate point perpendicularly to the direction of elongation of the track until the second intermediate point lies on the second straight line, the first and second intermediate points being substantially equidistant from the point of intersection.

No references cited.

ARTHUR L. LA POINT, Primary Examiner.

R. A. BERTSCH, Assistant Examiner. 

1. A METHOD OF LINING A TRACK CURVE TO PRODUCE A TRACK CURVE SECTION CONSTITUTING A SUBSTANTIALLY CIRCULAR ARC EXTENDING BETWEEN TWO END POINTS, A FIRST PORTION OF THE TRACK CURVE SECTION EXTENDING BETWEEN A FIRST ONE OF SAID END POINTS AND A FIRST INTERMEDIATE POINT OF THE TRACK CURVE SECTION HAVING BEEN LINED TO FORM A FIRST PORTION OF CIRCULAR ARC, AND A SECOND PORTION OF THE TRACK CURVE SECTION EXTENDING BETWEEN SAID FIRST INTERMEDIATE POINT AND THE SECOND END POINT, THE STEPS OF ESTABLISHING A FIRST STRAIGHT LINE BETWEEN A SECOND INTERMEDIATE POINT IN THE SECOND TRACK CURVE SECTION PORTION AND THE SECOND END POINT, ESTABLISHING A SECOND STRAIGHT LINE BETWEEN THE SECOND INTERMEDIATE POINT AND A POINT IN THE FIRST TRACK CURVE SECTION POINT, THE TWO STRAIGHT LINES INTERSECTING IN THE SECOND INTERMEDIATE POINT AND FORMING AN ANGLE THEREBETWEEN, AND MOVING THE SECOND TRACK CURVE SECTION PORTION AT THE SECOND INTERMEDIATE POINT PERPENDICULARLY TO THE DIRECTION OF ELONGATION OF THE TRACK UNTIL SAID ANGLE HAS A PREDETERMINED VALUE. 